SOUND OFF -- OCT. 6

To get this country back on the right track we need to do three things – stay out of the Middle East, abolish the Department of Education, and have no more wars. We’re never to solve diplomatic problems in the Middle East. Education is a state-level responsibility, we don’t need the extra federal bureaucracy. We need to stop being the world police, our defense spending should go to keeping us safe at home, not getting involved in conflicts abroad.

PRAGMATIC POLITICIAN

ENJOYING BALMY WEATHER

If the month of September and these first few days of October are the result of global warming, I say bring it on. I hope this lasts all the way through February.

BERMUDA SHORTS MIKE

JEERS TO TEA PARTY

I haven’t read any comments in Sound Off from the tea party lately. I guess they’re all too busy to call in from writing members of the House congratulating them on shutting down the government. Great job folks, that’ll solve a lot of problems.

NO NEGOTIATING OVER EXISTING LAWS

Ronald Reagan raised the debt ceiling 18 times during his administration and we didn’t hear a peep from either side of the aisle. The Affordable Care Act has been a law since Congress and the Senate sent the bill to the president to be signed. The moment the president signed the bill it became a non-negotiable issue and the right side of the aisle knows it. You cannot negotiate on issues which have already been voted on and became law! So you now decide to shut down the government?

WE HAVE TO PROTECT MOTHER EARTH

To the caller saying Styrofoam cups will get the environmentalists upset, you’re absolutely right. Don’t forget that we have to protect Mother Earth, because if the planet’s not around anymore, you won’t be able to do any kind of angry businessman posturing in your office.

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME IS POINTLESS

Well, soon it will be the end of Daylight Saving Time and everyone will be irritable as their body’s internal clock adjusts. Why do we still even do this? It’s the most pointless thing we do as a country.

BLAME GOP, NOT OBAMA

“Radnor Ron,” don’t blame the government shutdown on President Obama, blame it on the Republicans who have just shot themselves in the foot. Keep in mind the last time the government shut down was under President Clinton, and when it came back he balanced the budget.

IT’S THE DEMS’ FAULT

I’m just wondering if the government is shut down, how are they conducting all these applications over the Internet for Obamacare? They shut down the World War II memorial and are stopping military academy football games – it seems like the Democrats are just deliberately choosing things to anger people.

JUST SAYIN’

DON’T VOTE FOR HILLARY

Does anyone else find it funny that Arkansas, where Bill Clinton was in charge, is one of the poorest states in the country, and Chicago, where President Obama was a community organizer (whatever that means) has all kinds of problems. Look at the facts, we’ve got to get rid of these Democrats who are ruining our country. I don’t care what anyone has to say about Hillary Clinton. She, along with her husband, has to get out of any kind of politics in this country. Don’t be fooled, don’t vote for Hillary in 2016. We’ll be in a whole new level of trouble if she gets elected.

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IS OUT OF CONTROL

We’re taken the words “earn,” “merit” and “personal responsibility” out of the English language. A short-term safety net is fine but public assistance has turned into way more than that. I don’t blame Republicans for anything regarding the spending bill. If it takes a government shutdown to wake people up, so be it.

DISGUSTED TAXPAYER

“Immoral Times,” the vast majority of Americans do want Obamacare. Obama ran in 2012 on the platform of Obamacare, Romney ran against it. Mr. Obama won. That says the vast majority of Americans want Obamacare.

HAPPY TIMES

To “Read Rose,” I thought the same thing. The problem is people are too busy with their cellphones, video games, social media websites and whatever other nonsense they can get their hands on to properly address global warming.

WE’RE DOOMED

It’s time to throw all of the Do Nothing Republicans out of office. For six years now they have done nothing but try to obstruct anything President Obama has tried to do. Even the most disconnected citizens in this country can see that. The ACA is law, upheld by the Supreme Court and vindicated by the re-election of President Obama. And now after 46 tries to repeal it, the cry baby Republicans decide to hold the country hostage over it. News Flash! People are flocking to the exchanges. They were wrong as usual. Stop representing lobbyists and start representing the American people like you were elected to do.

I saw that Pat Meehan and Pat Toomey are not taking their pay during the government shutdown. I’d imagine that when the shutdown ends, they’ll be getting their back pay. I’m not taking this as anything more than a good publicity moment.